Adhesions are bands of scar tissue that can form inside the body, binding internal organs together...and leaving the victim to suffer incredible pain. Since adhesions elude the eye of standard medical tests, and many doctors do not discuss the illness itself, a proper diagnosis of adhesions, or ARD (Adhesion Related Disorder), is often left up to the sufferer!

Adhesions From Injury

Why, why, why? Why am I asking why? Because I have to wonder why so many people who have an injury to the abdomen end up diagnosed with Crohn's disease or IBS.

It seems adhesions caused by injury-usually on the job or a sports injury-happen more often to men than women. Stands to reason. If a blow to the abdomen begins to cause pain, nausea, vomiting, digestive issues, etc., soon after-or even months/years later-you can almost be certain adhesions have developed as a result of the injury. Once adhesions begin to compromise internal organs, an array of miserable symptoms start to surface, i.e., pain, nausea, vomiting, etc.

The person experiencing this pain schedules an appointment with the doctor. He or she explains the injury to the doctor. More often than not, the doctor ignores the information, sends the patient out for tests-and soon diagnoses the sufferer with Crohn's disease or IBS. Granted, you did not have Crohn's disease or IBS prior to that injury-but now you find yourself jaunting off to the local Crohn's support group, or chugging bottle after bottle of Maalox.

Regardless what course you take, you leave the doctor's office and/or support group feeling like this:

Yes, your life has suddenly become a mess.

If your doctor diagnosed Crohn's disease (and your pain is actually the result of adhesions encasing internal organs) you may find temporary relief from the corticosteroids that are normally prescribed for Crohn's patients. Soon, however, the medication will prove to provide little- if any-relief from the pain, nausea and vomiting. Internal organs compromised by adhesions simply do not function properly. The internal organs are designed to glide along in rhythm with our movements. Adhesions restrict organs. Now movement may trigger an abdominal "attack", nausea, vomiting, fatigue, etc. Walking-especially climbing stairs (or going down stairs) may leave the sufferer in complete misery.

When my daughter was diagnosed with Crohn's (she had not had surgery, nor had she been injured) I soon realized Crohn's disease was one horrid illness. How could she ever live with such an agonizing disease? ER runs were the norm for us-several times we made those trips with our daughter screaming from the pain. Little did we know then that adhesions had encased her bowel-her doctor had only referred to the problematic areas of her intestines as a "narrowing of the bowel due to Crohn's disease." It was at the Crohn's support group I sat stunned as I realized my daughter did not have the same symptoms as other children in the room.

The very next day, I went to the library and pulled every book I could find on Crohn's disease-and so began my study night after night. I became convinced my daughter had been misdiagnosed. Sadly, 14 years would pass before we would finally learn she was suffering from adhesions....I received NO help from the medical world-zilch, nada, nothing. Looking back, I know many physicians and specialists knew Melissa had adhesions, but, for whatever reason, these men remained silent-leaving us to figure it all out on our own.

If you have had an injury and you believe your health declined after that injury, ask for diagnostic laparoscopy. This is the only method by which adhesions can be properly identified. If you have had surgery for adhesions and find yourself suffering again, adhesions have-most likely-formed again. If you feel you are in a vicious repeat of what you endured prior to adhesiolysis, you can almost be certain you are in a vicious repeat of what you endured before: adhesions.

For whatever reason, many, many, many physicians steer adhesion sufferers down a messy, trying, endless, expensive, empty journey that never ends up in your favor. I'm not picking on physicians, I am only speaking from experience. Nor am I am telling anyone he or she has been misdiagnosed. Further, as stated in the disclaimer, I am not giving medical advice. My hope is that other sufferers will not lose years of precious life while the medical world yanks you to and fro.

Since I referenced men at the beginning of this article, I will share a couple of stories about men who have suffered from adhesions. Follow these links to these inspirational stories about two men who-like my daughter-had lost all quality of life to agonizing pain: You can also join us at our facebook page where sufferers share their own stories and provide encouragment to those who suffer.

Comments

The comments to this entry are closed.

Doctors: Bound By Secrecy? Victims Bound By Pain!

SHIPPED PRIORITY MAIL

ARD Awareness Pin

View Cart

Secure Shopping

DISCLAIMER

The information found on this website is to share the personal story of my daughter's trying journey with Adhesion Related Disorder. This website is designed solely to: inform, educate, and shatter the silence that surrounds the illness of adhesions, or ARD (Adhesion Related Disorder). The postings within this site are the opinions of the author and/or guests who post here. No content of this website should be construed as medical advice. This site does not provide medical advice. Please consult your physician for all matters concening physical and mental health. 3/14/07